Filipino Restaurant in Melbourne To Enjoy

Headline: Askal — Elevated Pinoy plates. Creative cocktails. Warm, attentive service. Restaurant Category: Modern fine-dining Filipino; set menus around $80–$90 per person; express lunch available. Menu Highlights: – Pancit canton with crab/chilimansi — bright, tangy, nostalgic favorite – Pandesal/Filipino bread with specialty butters (latik or adobo) – Leche flan (often with a rum kick) and buko pandan – Pork belly/tocino; Manong Al’s BBQ pork with banana ketchup and atchara – Smoked chicken with calamansi fried rice – Kare-kare (melt-in-your-mouth beef) – Balut with caramelized fish sauce and lime – Siomai and prawns; bone marrow clay pot – Unique cocktail list and wide beverage program Service Highlights: – Attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable staff who explain each dish – Prompt pacing; dishes presented with finesse – Sophisticated, Filipino-inspired space (capiz details), cozy yet classy lighting – Comfortable noise levels for conversation – Seasonal, evolving menu; occasional collaboration dinners – Rooftop bar Inuman upstairs to cap the night Notes: – Some dishes skew sour-forward (calamansi, banana ketchup, vinaigrette) and can feel repetitive – Pork belly/tocino can be very rich and fatty – A few items missed the mark for some: mussels tasted fishy; fried rice a bit dry; steak/clay pot felt less “Pinoy” … read full review

Headline: Barkada Pinoy — Big flavors, generous plates. Homey vibe. Friendly crew. Restaurant Category: Casual Filipino eatery, $8–$20 per item; combos around $18–$20. Menu Highlights: – Chicken Inasal combo with garlic rice – Pork Sisig (tasty; some wish it came on a sizzling plate) – Special Garlic Rice (widely praised) – Pork Belly Liempo combo – Beef Pares combo (flavorful; occasionally a bit tough) – Skewers (well-seasoned) – Kwek Kwek and Chicken Skin for snacks – Taho and Gulaman (often enjoyed); Halo-Halo gets mixed notes Service Highlights: – Warm, welcoming vibe and friendly, accommodating staff – Quick service for most visits; clean dining room – QR code/online ordering available; staff can assist at the counter – Music adds to the atmosphere; gloves provided for eating with hands – Nostalgic sari-sari shop decor at the entrance; good for groups Notes: – One serious report of undercooked chicken and poor resolution by staff, with a long wait during that incident – Dining room can get smoky/foggy at times (weak exhaust mentioned) – Halo-Halo tastes artificial/preservative-heavy to some; desserts aren’t everyone’s favorite – Some wish the sisig was served sizzling – A few mention the beef pares could be more tender Logistics: – … read full review

Headline: Inasal Express. Juicy inasal, bold sisig. Nostalgic desserts. Friendly service. Restaurant Category: Casual Filipino eatery in a mall food-court setting, about $15–$25 per savory dish; desserts/shakes around $6–$12. Menu Highlights: – Chicken inasal with juicy meat and charred skin – Lechon sisig with lean, glistening pork and calamansi – Crispy pork belly sinigang – BBQ-flavored chips (surprisingly addictive) – Halo-halo, buko pandan, taho (served hot), ube shake/ube sago – Garlic rice (extra charge), heart-shaped rice Service Highlights: – Generally warm, friendly, and accommodating staff – Staff explain dishes and offer recommendations – Welcoming even for takeaway orders – Filipino décor and a cozy, inviting vibe for a quick meal Notes: – Food quality can be inconsistent (reports of overcooked BBQ, burnt/underseasoned chicken, dry fish balls, gummy tapa; others note later improvements) – Prices feel high to some; some mains reportedly don’t include rice; add-ons charged separately – Dessert hits and misses (raves for ube shake; avocado shake and iskrambol less loved; taho served very hot) – Occasional service hiccups (slow dessert service; change issues for takeaway containers) Logistics: – Located in Melbourne Central; dine-in happens in the mall’s communal seating – Not the comfiest seats near the stall; better … read full review

Headline: Serai — Wood-fired Filipino flair. Sisig tacos that slap. Date-night vibes. Restaurant Category: Contemporary Filipino-Australian, upscale-casual; $25–$65 per plate; chef’s tasting menu with wine pairing available. Menu Highlights: – Sisig tacos with egg butter (often called out as a must-try) – Karekare hash browns with salted duck egg – Squid (perfectly grilled) with charred cabbage/cabbage “tocino” – Mindanao bagoong rainbow trout – Pork belly or pork shoulder with savory monggo – Claypot rice (including tocilog claypot) – Oysters with wagyu fat – Kangaroo kilawin – Cassava cake with ice cream; creative champorado dessert – McScallop burger; crispy chicken skin flatbread Service Highlights: – Warm, personable service with a relaxed, modern vibe – Chef’s table interactions and a visible, wood-fired kitchen – Thoughtful wine and cocktail pairings; sommelier praised – Accommodates dietary needs (e.g., seafood allergies) on set menus – Good for spontaneous drop-ins, date nights, and foodie occasions Notes: – Pricing is on the higher side; some find portions small – A few dishes divided opinion (e.g., smoked/gamey whiting with bones; wagyu not standout; pricey charred cabbage) – One report of a rude, inattentive waiter; another felt service was fine but unremarkable – One diner found the crispy chicken … read full review

Headline: Chadz Chickenhaus: Succulent charcoal chicken. Affordable Pinoy classics. Cleanliness can be hit-or-miss. Restaurant Category: Casual Filipino charcoal chicken and home-style eatery, budget-friendly (~$10–$20 per meal); takeaway available. Menu Highlights: – Charcoal/butterfly chicken with “Chadz Signature” basting (sweet, honey–soy style; some wish for more chili kick) – Original Filipino-style chicken – Chicken sisig – Lumpia Shanghai (noted to stay crispy even after refrigeration) – Pancit palabok – Kare-kare (tasty but a bit sweet for some) – Halo-halo and buko pandan desserts – Chicken and chips (big serves, good value) Service Highlights: – Friendly, humble staff; generally welcoming service – Affordable prices with generous portions – Popular for takeaway and casual drop-ins – Small, low-key space; often a simple, no-frills dine-in vibe Notes: – Serious hygiene complaint from a customer about finding maggots on leftover chicken the next day – Cleanliness inconsistencies: greasy floors, untidy tables, toilet maintenance needed; napkins missing at times – Perceived dip in standards/consistency and atmosphere compared to earlier visits; some suspect a change in ownership – Some chicken portions reported as bony – Signature basting reads sweet to some; kare-kare also on the sweet side Paragraphs: Customers come for the succulent charcoal chicken and budget-friendly Filipino … read full review

Headline: Mama Lor — Filipino comfort plates. Buzzy bakery. Warm hospitality. Restaurant Category: Casual Filipino restaurant and bakery, $15–$30 per savory dish; desserts $9–$13 Menu Highlights: – Mama Lor fried/grilled chicken — crispy skin, juicy meat; a crowd favorite – Chicken inasal — sweet-soy marinade; tasty but one diner found the portion smaller than photos – Cebu lechon and lechon kawali — quality pork with standout dipping sauce – Sizzling sisig — popular, though crispiness/fattiness varies – Palabok — often a highlight – Pancit/pancit bihon — comforting, though a few found it mild – Sinigang (baboy and hipon) — homey and generous; sourness can be strong for some – Adobong kangkong — savory-sour, great with rice – Arroz caldo and beef pares — filling, balanced flavors – Halo-halo and fresh taho (weekends) — big dessert draws; hot chocolate also praised – Ube cakes, hopia ube, and brownies — bakery items get lots of love Service Highlights: – Friendly, accommodating service with classic Filipino hospitality – Casual, family- and kid-friendly setting – Portions generally generous; many find pricing reasonable – Can get very busy and noisy at peak times; quieter off-peak – Waits can occur; some experienced slow table service and … read full review

Headline: Pinoy Diner — Authentic flavors. Great value. Friendly vibes. Restaurant Category: Casual Filipino eatery, about $15–$30 per person; budget-friendly combos and sharing options (boodle fights). Menu Highlights: – Pork barbecue skewers (often praised; may sell out or take time to grill) – Sizzling sisig – Lechon with sauce – Kare-kare and caldereta – Tapsilog / beef tapa – Sinigang – Halo-halo, leche flan, and ube desserts – Fried tilapia – Pork adobo and other bain-marie selections – Beef siopao – Boodle fight option for groups Service Highlights: – Warm, chatty staff and an enthusiastic welcome – Owners are attentive and accommodating, including allergy checks – Helpful explanations of the bain-marie dishes for first-timers – Generally quick turnaround; hot plates served within minutes – Staff can assist with carrying takeaway orders to the car Notes: – One group reported a dry, bland BBQ platter and poor value – Occasional service hiccups: being asked to move tables, mixed-up drink sizes, inconsistent answers about dishes – A few diners felt portions ran small – Eggplant was undercooked for one table – Pork skewers can require a long wait (around 40 minutes) when out – Flavor profile leans sweet and slightly oily, in … read full review